Popular Camino Routes

The Discovery of the Tomb of Apostle Santiago the Greater

Tradition places the origin of the Camino in the 9th century, around the year 813 or 820, with the discovery of the tomb of the Apostle Saint James the Greater at the site now occupied by Santiago de Compostela. According to legend, a hermit named Pelayo observed mysterious lights (a "campus stellae" or field of stars, from which "Compostela" would derive) above a hill. Bishop Teodomiro of Iria Flavia, once informed, ordered excavations that revealed a Roman shrine with remains attributed to the Apostle James, who according to tradition had evangelized Hispania.

King Alfonso II the Chaste of Asturias, informed of the discovery, traveled to the site to venerate the relics, thus becoming the first documented pilgrim. He ordered the construction of a small church on the site, which would become the seed of the current Cathedral of Santiago. This royal act gave legitimacy to the discovery and laid the foundations for the development of the pilgrimage.

Consolidation and Boom in the Middle Ages

During the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries, the pilgrimage to Santiago experienced exponential growth. The Reconquista and the pacification of the territories in northern Iberia allowed the development of safer routes. Kings such as Sancho III the Great of Navarre and Alfonso VI of León and Castile played a crucial role in promoting and protecting these routes, especially what would become known as the French Way.

The Order of Cluny, with its vast network of monasteries, was a major promoter of the pilgrimage, offering hospitality and spreading Jacobean devotion. The "Codex Calixtinus", a 12th-century guide, described in detail the routes, sanctuaries and peoples of the Camino, consolidating the French Way as the main itinerary.

The Camino became a melting pot of cultures, a corridor for the exchange of ideas, art and knowledge. Romanesque and Gothic art flourished along its path, leaving an unparalleled monumental legacy in churches, cathedrals and monasteries. Hospitals, bridges and a reception infrastructure were created to facilitate the arduous journey.

Decline and Modern Rebirth

From the 16th century onwards, factors such as the wars of religion, the Black Death, changes in European mentality and the Protestant Reformation caused a decline in pilgrimages. Although the Camino never completely disappeared, its attendance decreased considerably for several centuries.

The modern resurgence of the Camino de Santiago began in the late 19th century and was spectacularly consolidated in the last decades of the 20th century. Figures such as Elías Valiña, parish priest of O Cebreiro and promoter of the iconic yellow arrow signage, were fundamental. The recognition of the French Way as the First European Cultural Itinerary by the Council of Europe in 1987 and as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993 catapulted its international fame.

Today, the Camino de Santiago is a global phenomenon that attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and walkers every year, of all nationalities and motivations. Beyond religious faith, many seek an experience of personal growth, contact with nature, cultural encounter or an inner journey. The rich history of the Camino lives on in every path, in every stone and in the hospitality of its people, offering a transformative adventure to those who dare to walk it.